Distributed Architecture for IP-Based Telemetry Services

• US 20080137823A1
• Filed: 12/12/2006
• Published: 06/12/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 12/12/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: United States Cellular Corporation (Telephone & Data Systems, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: United States Cellular Corporation (Telephone & Data Systems, Inc.)
• Inventors: Saxena, Narothum, Irizarry, Michael, Abichandani, Jaideep
• Granted Patent: US 7,949,110 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 379/106.01
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/66 Arrangements for connecting between networks having differing types of switching systems, e.g. gateways
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 2101/654 International mobile subscriber identity [IMSI] numbers
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/344 Out-of-band transfers
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 61/2596 Translation of addresses of the same type other than IP, e.g. translation from MAC to MAC addresses

Abstract

A system and method are described whereby an IP telemetry gateway is hosted by an MVNO in order to relay the telemetry information between remote devices located in an IP network and telemetry servers operated by legacy telemetry customers. In an embodiment, the IP network is a CDMA2000 1× wireless network. Once the IP network identifies a device as part of the telemetry network, it assigns such device a static private IP address. A VPN connection is used to extend the private network of remote devices to the IP telemetry gateway. The IP telemetry gateway maps each remote device'"'"'s legacy address to its corresponding IP address in order to communicate with the legacy servers and the wireless network via circuit switched and packet data connections respectively. Preferably, the remote devices maintain an always on data connection to allow the telemetry servers to address the remote devices at any time.

Claims

1. A system for relaying telemetry information, the system comprising:

a telecommunications network comprising a plurality of remote devices, the remote devices capable of communicating according to a first communication mode;

a telemetry gateway in communication with the plurality of remote devices according to the first communication mode;

at least one telemetry server monitoring the plurality of remote devices through the telemetry gateway, wherein the at least one telemetry server is capable of communicating with the telemetry gateway according to a second communication mode; and

wherein the telemetry gateway includes a first connection to the telecommunications network, a second connection to the at least one telemetry server, and a management connection exclusive of the telecommunications network and the at least one telemetry server.

2. The system of claim 1 wherein the telecommunications network is wireless.

3. The system of claim 1 wherein the first communication mode comprises packet switched communication.

4. The system of claim 1 wherein the second communication mode comprises circuit switched communication.

5. The system of claim 1 wherein each of the plurality of remote devices is assigned a private IP address within the telecommunications network.

6. The system of claim 5 wherein each of the private IP addresses is static.

7. The system of claim 1 wherein the first connection extends the telecommunications network to the telemetry gateway via a secure connection.

8. The system of claim 7 wherein the secure connection is a VPN connection.

9. The system of claim 1 wherein the telemetry gateway maps an IP address assigned to each of the plurality of remote devices to a unique identifier associated with each of the plurality of remote devices.

10. The system of claim 9 wherein the unique identifier is one of a Mobile Identification Number (MIN), Electronic Serial Number (ESN), and a Mobile Device Number (MDN).

11. The system of claim 1 wherein the plurality of remote devices maintain an always on connection to the telecommunications network.

12. A telemetry gateway for relaying telemetry information between a telecommunications network and at least one telemetry server, wherein the telecommunications network is capable of processing the telemetry information according to a first communication mode and the at least one telemetry server is capable of processing the telemetry information according to a second communication mode;

and

wherein the telemetry gateway includes a first connection to the telecommunications network, a second connection to the at least one telemetry server, and a management connection exclusive of the telecommunications network and the at least one telemetry server.

13. The telemetry gateway of claim 12 wherein the telecommunications network is wireless.

14. The telemetry gateway of claim 12 wherein the first communication mode comprises packet switched communication and the second communication mode comprises circuit switched communication.

15. The telemetry gateway of claim 12 wherein each of the plurality of remote devices is assigned a private static IP address within the telecommunications network.

16. The telemetry gateway of claim 12 wherein the first connection extends the telecommunications network to the telemetry gateway via a VPN connection.

17. The telemetry gateway of claim 12 wherein the telecommunications network comprises a plurality of remote devices and the gateway maps an IP address assigned to each of the plurality of remote devices to a unique identifier associated with each of the plurality of remote devices.

18. The telemetry gateway of claim 17 wherein the unique identifier is one of a Mobile Identification Number (MIN), Electronic Serial Number (ESN), and a Mobile Device Number (MDN).

19. The telemetry gateway of claim 17 wherein the plurality of remote devices maintain an always on connection to the telecommunications network

20. A method for relaying telemetry information between a telecommunications network and at least one telemetry server, the method comprising.

registering, at a telemetry gateway, a first unique identifier and a second unique identifier, the first and second unique identifiers assigned to a remote device in the telecommunications network;

at the telemetry gateway, collecting the telemetry information from the remote device, wherein the remote device is identified to the telecommunications network by the first unique identifier, and communicating the telemetry information to the at least one telemetry server, wherein the remote device is identified to the at least one telemetry server by the second unique identifier; and

wherein the telemetry gateway includes a first connection to the telecommunications network, a second connection to the at least one telemetry server, and a management connection exclusive of the telecommunications network and the at least one telemetry server.

21. The method of claim 20 wherein the telecommunications network is wireless.

22. The method of claim 20 wherein the first unique identifier comprises an IP address.

23. The method of claim 22 wherein the IP address is a private static IP address.

24. The method of claim 20 wherein the second unique identifier comprises one of a Mobile Identification Number (MIN), Electronic Serial Number (ESN), and a Mobile Device Number (MDN).

25. The method of claim 20 further comprising extending the telecommunications network to the telemetry gateway via the first connection, wherein the first connection is a VPN connection.

26. The method of claim 20 further comprising maintaining an always on connection between the remote device and the telecommunications network.